AFL boss staying out of Power-Suns stoush

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan is trying his best to stay out of the ugly guernsey stoush between Port Adelaide and Gold Coast.

But the league boss admits he might need to get between the squabbling sides at some point.

The clubs are at loggerheads over the Suns' intention to wear their home jumper - that matches the red and yellow of the Chinese flag - when they meet in Shanghai in round eight.

The Power paid $500,000 for the rights to Gold Coast's home game so they could host the historic clash for premiership points in China. The club hopes it will be the start of a lucrative long-term push into the market.

But that agreement doesn't cover who wears what jumper and Power president David Koch is hopping mad at the Suns, accusing them on Adelaide radio fiveAA of playing silly buggers.

Koch has threatened to exclude Gold Coast from future matches in China, calling on the AFL to make a ruling, but Suns chairman Tony Cochrane isn't backing down.

The situation is a long way removed from October's launch in Melbourne, where McLachlan, Koch and Cochrane were all smiles.

"My prevailing view is that it's a club issue," McLachlan said on Thursday.